Question

Difficulty: EasyWorkstation Hardening and Best Practices

A desktop technician is setting up a workstation in a corporate lobby for visitor registration. To prevent unauthorized users from accessing the system when the desk is left unattended, which workstation hardening control should the technician implement?

  1. Configure a short screen lock timeout that requires password re-authentication.Answer
  2. B
    Enable the built-in Guest account so visitors can log in without credentials.
  3. C
    Attach a privacy filter to the monitor screen.
  4. D
    Use Task Scheduler to force a system reboot every two hours.

Answer

Configuring a short screen lock timeout requiring password re-authentication is the most effective control for securing an unattended workstation.
Configuring a screen lock timeout with mandatory password re-authentication ensures that if a user steps away, the session automatically locks after a short period of inactivity, protecting system resources and sensitive data from unauthorized access.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary security risk in the scenario.
The risk is physical interaction by unauthorized persons when a workstation in a public area is left unattended.
Publicly accessible workstations require automated controls to restrict access during idle periods.
2
Evaluate workstation hardening controls for idle session protection.
Setting an automatic screen lock timeout forces the operating system to lock when inactive.
Requiring credentials to resume the session ensures only authorized personnel can access the device.

Key Concept

Workstation Hardening - Screen Lock and Idle Timeout Policies
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